Knockdown table for automobiles.



G. R. THISS.

KNOGKDOWN TABLE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED 8BPT.27, 1913.

- Patented July 21, 1914.

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y Z/ywm Za'iyiffonvey UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. THISS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO BARNUM TRUNK COMPANY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION.

KNOCKDO'WN TABLE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

'Statcof Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Tables 'f or Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to knock-down tables for automobiles and has for its object to provide a table which may be readily taken apart and folded into small compass, and yet which, when set up and secured together, will give a substantial and good'sized table to be used in the serving of meals or-for other purposes in connection with picnics, camping parties or automobile trips. The table is particularly designed to be used in connection with automobiles, for which reason it is made. so that when taken apart it will form a very compact bundle and occupy small space. i

In the drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one forum-Figure 1 is a sectional view of a table embodying my invention when the parts have been-assem bled. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of such a table. Fig. 3 is a plan View from beneath of such a table. Figs. 4 and 5 show the manner in which the parts may be brought together for packing.

The table top 10 comprises a plurality of leaves 11 of uniform size, preferably four in number. These leaves 11 are hinged together so that when extended the tops thereof will fall in a common plane and yet so that the entire body of leaves may be folded into a bundle in which the different leaves come one on top of the other. To accomplish this the hinges 12, by which the marginal leaves are secured together, are directly fastened to the undersides of the table leaves so that said leaves will fold downwardly. The hinges 13, by which the two inner leaves are secured together, also have the straps thereof secured to the underside of the table, as clearly shownin Fig. 1, but the hinge part is carried to the top of the table so that the leavessecured by these hinges swing in the opposite direction from the hinges 12, thus enabling the four leaves to be laid in a compact pile one upon the other,-as indicated in Fig. 5. Ofco'urse a Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 27, 1913. Serial No. 792,091.

Patented July 21, 1914.

greater number of leaves than four may be employed, if desired, and may be folded together in this manner by arranging the successive sets of hinges so that the joints beopposite directions.

The hinged table top 10 is directly sup.

ported upon cross pieces 14, which cross p eces in turn are supported by legs'15. lt-ach of the cross pieces la is provided with a flattened portion 16 at each end thereof said flattened portion having a hole 17 run nmgtheretln'ough. The legs 15 are each provided with a vertical bore 18, in an expanded part 19 of which is fixed a nut 20. bolt 21 1s provided adjacent its head with a square shank 22 which fits in a correspondingly formed socket of the end leaf of the table top. In assembling the table the bolts 21 are set'into the socket in the table top and extended through the apertures 17 in the crossbars 14. The legs 15 are then applied to said bolts by pushing the bolts into the apertures 18 in said legs and turning the leg, and with it the nut 20, to draw the end of the leg tight against the flattened end 16 of the crossbar 1 1, thus firmly clampim said crossbar and table top together and securing the leg in position thereon. It will be apparent that this construction is extremely simple and that a table so constructed may be knocked down with the greatest ease and folded up and packed in a very small space so as to be carried in a small case which may be placed in the tonneau or otherwise secured to the automobile. A table so constructed when assembled will have all the characteristics of a substantial table structure. It will take but a moment to unpack and assemble the table, and when so assembled there will be little to distin guish the table from a rigid and permanent structure. The hinges 12 and 13 are ractic'ally entirely at the lower side 0 the table, and the crossbars 14 upon which the table leaves all rest give a definite support to the table structure.

I claim:

A table comprising a plurality ofleaves lunged together so as to fold one upon another into a compactbundle, crossbar supports independent of said table leaves, a

plurality of legs for each support, each of tween alternate pairs of leaves will break in said legs being p rovi ded 'with a longitudinal In testim on whereof I a fiix my signature bore and a fiutfixflad in said bore, sing bolts in presence 0 two witnesses.

extending t roug t e table top an support and into said bore and having threaded I GEORGE S ends for receiving said nuts whereby the table top, crossbar-and legs may be rlgidly clamped together. I

Witnesses:

F. A. WHITELEY, H. A. BOWMAN. 

